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Despite a determined campaign and even the endorsement of UFC President Dana White, rising middleweight Chris Weidman will not fight champion Anderson Silva next as he had hoped. Today the promotion announced that instead he will fight fellow contender Tim Boetsch on December 29th at UFC 155.

“I think I’m the number-one contender in the division but with Anderson not fighting for the rest of 2012, I want to stay busy and keep getting better,” Weidman was quoted saying in a press release from the promotion. “I think I’m the best middleweight in the world and I’m going to prove it against another top contender.”

Weidman (9-0) is coming off a one-sided, highlight reel stoppage of Mark Munoz in July, which moved the decorated wrestler to the top of the 185 pound division. The 28 year-old-fighter has gone 5-0 to date in the Octagon.

Although Boetsch (16-4) was not able to record as dramatic a win in his last bout, he did become the first man to defeat Hector Lombard since 2006, by handing the former Bellator champ a split decision loss at UFC 149. Since moving to the middleweight division the former light-heavyweight has won four straight fights.

UFC 155 will take place at a venue to be announced in Las Vegas. The card will feature a rematch between heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez.

posted by FCF Staff @ 5:02 pm

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